Infinity FAQs

Infinity: the FAQs

<What is Infinity?>
Infinity is a 28mm miniatures wargame set in a cyberpunk future with manga aesthetics. If you liked Neuromancer, Burning Chrome, or Snow Crash, you may enjoy this setting. If you are a disgusting weeaboo, you may enjoy this game; if you like shooting disgusting weeaboos, you may also enjoy this game.
It's produced by Corvus Belli in Spain and it was first launched in 2005. It is now in its fourth edition (N4), released in September 2020.

<How does the game feel?>
Infinity is a skirmish wargame. Your models are fighting covert wars and black ops, the kind of classified missions that usually don't end in their personal records, much less on newspapers or history books. Maybe they are sabotaging a foreign corporation, exfiltrating a VIP, or stealing military secrets. They are a team assembled for the occasion by someone in the upper spheres of command, or a tight-knit group of veterans. Grizzled elite operators, mercenaries in it for the money, or just security guards in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe they have a family to come home to; maybe they were grown in a vat.
You'll lead a small team of around a dozen men (or women, or robots, or aliens) to their glory, or death. You'll duck into cover, execute downed enemies, dodge shots, jump from roof to roof, cut giant mechs in half with a mono-molecular katana, carry an unconscious friend back into cover, hack enemy droids, paradrop in contested airspace, kick doors in, set people on fire, look for invisible snipers, hide from guided bullets, throw EMP grenades, and die.
CB made some demo videos which are a great way to get a feel of how the game plays:
https://youtu.be/rUzmp66ghyc
https://youtu.be/v-L2_ZA8e_s
https://youtu.be/k2uGZV41Pi4
https://youtu.be/4z9p7eaMYEU

<What about the miniatures?>
The miniatures are all in metal and 1:56 scale (28mm), unassembled and unpainted, from the tiny servant bots to the huge TAGs. They're probably the best metal miniatures on the market right now and top many plastic miniatures in detail.
You can find a full catalogue with HD photos on the CB store, here: https://store.corvusbelli.com/wargames/infinity/miniatures
Update: on July 2021 Corvus Belli announced that from now some of their more bulky models and some game components would be produced in plastic! More info here:
https://infinitytheuniverse.com/blog/injected-thermoplastic

<I've never worked with metal miniatures. What should I know?>
Plastic glue won't work, so use superglue. Other than that there are not a lot of differences between plastic and metal miniatures, and most of what you know will apply to both. Prep them like normal and wash with warm soapy water if there are traces of release agent. If certain parts of a miniature (like swords or antennas) were bent during transport you can gently bend them back into shape. Metal miniatures are heavier, so if needed you can put them in a long sock to turn it into an effective close-combat weapon; swing it like a mace and aim for the head.

<How do I start?>
The best way to start playing Infinity is with one of the Operation: AdjectiveNoun boxes, aptly named "Initiation Sets" by CB. Each Operation box will give you two small armies, a few pieces of terrain, dice, templates, and everything else you need to start playing right away. The company said that they will rotate their line of sets, with 2 Operations always available and others being split into two starters as they are replaced.
CB also offers several Beyond Operation AdjectiveNoun boxes, small boxes containing 6 models to round up the armies present in the corresponding Operation box and give you enough points for a full army.

<Which Operation box should I buy?>
The one with the factions you like the most. The older ones (Icestorm, Red Veil, Coldfront) are slightly cheaper than the newer ones (at the time of writing, Kaldstrøm and Crimson Stone), which however contain slightly better terrain (cardboard instead of paper - this will be the standard from now on); that's pretty much it as far as quality is concerned. Some of the oldest Operation boxes have been discontinued, and the models released as part of an "Action Pack" containing all the models of one of the factions in the box, plus the models in the relative Beyond box.
All the armies released in the newer Operations will also be compatible with Infinity CodeOne.

<What's CodeOne?>
Introduced in April 2020, CodeOne is a new ruleset meant specifically for new players just entering the game. A CodeOne army can be at most 10 models, listbuilding is simplified, the roster of models is more restricted than in Infinity proper, and some of the trickier rules are excluded.
Currently there are 6 factions available in CodeOne (the factions contained in Wildfire/Kaldstrøm/CrimsonStone), but more will be added as new Operations are released. Furthermore, a series of expansion packs are being released, building up the starter sets to a full army/small collection (Support Packs with Engineers and Doctors, Beyond Packs with specialists, Hero Packs, TAG packs, and so on).
If you find having a lot of rules and choices daunting, CodeOne can be a good way to start; as a rule, all CodeOne units are also playable in Infinity, but not the opposite.
Also, there are no Sectorials in CodeOne.

<What's a Sectorial?>
Every major faction is divided into Sectorial armies. Sectorials are usually centred around a specific theme and playstyle. Taking as an example the faction Yu Jing, it's possible to play General Yu Jing (the "vanilla", non-sectorial army), the Imperial Service (Yu Jing's secret police and counterterrorism unit), the Invincible Army (Yu Jing's heavy infantry combat force), and White Banner (Yu Jing forces stationed on the frozen planet of Svalarheima, focused on winter operations and ambushes). While a general army can choose between all the models available in a faction, sectorials are more restricted in their choices and can only pick between their thematic models.
You can browse all the different factions and their sectorials here: https://infinitytheuniverse.com/army/infinity
If you want a quick rundown on the factions, sectorials, and the wargame, check this: https://pastebin.com/xtQzRcq5
Another introduction to the factions can be found here: https://www.thediceabide.com/blog/2019/8/26/infinity-which-faction-is-for-you-updated

<Why should I play a Sectorial instead of vanilla if I get fewer choices?>
While more limited in their roster of units, sectorials bring other advantages to the table. Increased availability means that you can bring more models from the same unit, possibly bringing more copies of an already scary unit. Certain sectorials have also access to sectorial-specific versions of vanilla units, or even extra-faction models like mercenaries and auxiliaries.
However, their biggest advantage is the ability to form fireteams, teams of units that activate together during the game and can have powerful bonuses.

<Are Sectorials mandatory?>
Not at all. Some players prefer fireteams and thematic units, while others prefer flexibility and combos. Both are viable choices from a competitive standpoint.

<Talking about it, is this game balanced?>
Very much so, especially for a game with so many different factions, subfactions, and units.
From a recent analysis of tournament data, it turned out that the difference in win rate between the "weakest" and "strongest" faction was only around 15%: the weakest faction won 39,85% of all the matches played, the strongest one won 55,35%. Consider also that this analysis was made from data of tournament matches, where players look for every advantage they can get; your local meta is probably going to be way less competitive, further decreasing this number.
For the sake of comparison, similar data from another game I won't name (it's produced by a company that rhymes with Tames Bishop) show a 45% difference in win rate, with the weakest faction winning only 20% of its games and the strongest one winning 65%.

<What about internal balance within a faction?>
In general, all units are pretty well balanced, and there are few "auto-includes" or "shit" choices. Some units or profiles may be more situational than others, but generally you can make a list with the units you like the most and win, as long as you respect a basic listbuilding structure which I'll explain later. In Infinity it's the player who wins - or loses - the game, not the list.

<I heard factions are getting "squatted", should I be worried?>
Being a small company, CB has not been able to keep up with the increased demand for Infinity miniatures. So a few years ago they decided to introduce the concept of a "rotating catalogue". This means that sometimes, when a faction receives a new sectorial, its oldest sectorial will be put out of production and its models retired. This usually happens for very old sectorials which hadn't been updated for a while (still using pre-CAD hand-sculpted models, for example). However, the sectorial is not deleted from the game: the rules are still valid both in tournaments and casual play and are kept updated (they usually receive a small update or a few new models before the oldest models are retired). If you are a new player and want to play one of the retired sectorials your best bet is to scout the secondary market for the models out of production, or simply wait for when it is eventually re-released.
To summarise: the rules and sectorials are safe and available, but some of the models may be hard or expensive to find.

<How expensive is Infinity?>
Moderately so. A starter army will set you back around 50€, and an Operation box around 100€. Being a skirmish, Infinity is fairly cheap compared to other wargames; a list will have at most 15 units, and there are no giant models or tanks. CB pricing model seems to be based on "mass": a 10 pts Fusilier will cost the same as a 70 pts Asura, since both models are units of infantry made of a similar amount of metal, while a big TAG will cost you more. There is no "character tax": as long as two models are more or less of the same size they'll cost the same in real money terms, no matter their role on the battlefield or their in-game cost.

<What if I want my own gaming table?>
CB doesn't produce its own terrain sets (apart from the basic cardboard ones you'll find in the Operation boxes), but instead relies on a series of third parties for buildings, scatter terrain, and various accessories. This means that there is a huge availability of different suppliers (thank you, free market!) to choose from. From cardboard to MDF to plastic, at every price range, in every style and aesthetic, you'll find a ton of ways to build the battlefield of your liking.
For a small and probably incomplete list of different stores offering Infinity-compatible products, check here: https://pastebin.com/xUBR7QFU
The basic cardboard terrain CB offers in its Operation boxes is also fairly good if you are just starting out: https://youtu.be/O5ajnpov2RI

<How much terrain do I need?>
A lot. This is a skirmish/simulation game where combat is easily lethal, and you want a lot of cover. Plus, building your own little cyberpunk city is very fun (for me, at least).
Quoting the wiki: "In a standard Infinity table of 4 x 4 foot size, this balance is achieved by placing a minimum of eight big terrain pieces (4 x 6 inches base and more than 2.5 inches in height) and at least 6 small pieces of terrain."
You can find more information on how to set up a table here: http://infinitythewiki.com/en/Setting_up_the_Gaming_Table
In general you don't want a player to be able to shoot directly into the opponent's deployment zone, but also not to place so much terrain snipers and other long-range units become useless. Also remember to make one side better than the other (more cover, taller buildings, etc), so that the choice between starting first or picking the side on which to deploy remains meaningful.
You can also watch this great video to learn how to set up an Infinity table:
https://youtu.be/ZdQYib62I-Y

<What about the Rule Book, Army Books, Codices, etc.?>
Corvus Belli applies the revolutionary concept of not making its customers pay for paper products that can't be updated, cost a lot, and will end up obsolete in a few months/years. Instead, all the rules for Infinity and CodeOne are available for free, both in a book format and a wiki format - including an official list-builder, which I linked before. Physical books exist but are dedicated to the lore of the setting, descriptions of the different units, and so on. They aren't necessary to play the game but are nice to collect.
You can find everything you need here: https://infinitytheuniverse.com/resources
If you want to buy the books (and the mangas!), you find them here: https://store.corvusbelli.com/wargames/infinity/books

<What should I put in my list?>
In Infinity, the player is more important than a list. But in general, all lists will need a few basic components
a) Orders-generating units: in general, these are cheap light infantry or support remotes that generate orders for other models (for these reasons they are often called cheerleaders). They are usually defensive and lightly armored, but can still be useful - especially if underestimated.
b) Specialists: these units are necessary to perform objectives in certain missions. Doctors, Engineers, Hackers, and Forward Observers are all specialists.
c) Heavy hitters: the purpose of these units is to kill enemy models in your active turn. They can be combat remotes, heavy infantry, TAGs, giant werewolves, depending on the faction.
d) A backup if b and c start to die
Other than this you're free to shape your list as you prefer. Will you pick jump infantry, camo troopers, TAGs, or something else entirely?
This is a great intro to Infinity listbuilding for beginners, with a few sample Aleph lists (courtesy of the Tactical Awareness podcast):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tvsg5vYm4gTvkTtmcSD3O3-Wt4udwnOv/view
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzrPO7KIAtwWhukExedW36DgEFk3oz24a

<What's the attitude towards proxying?>
Proxying is well tolerated. CB is a small company and sometimes not all unit profiles are available (they are getting better at it though). As long as you make it clear to your opponent, your model with an HMG can carry a sniper rifle for this match, and you can try out that unit with the same silhouette as the model you have already. This is true for official tournaments as well.

<How should I paint my models? Should I follow the official scheme?>
If you want to. There are no rules regarding how models should be painted, so pick or invent a color scheme you like (just paint them, it's more fun to play with - and against - a fully painted army). In collaboration with Vallejo, CB also released a series of paint bundles to help you replicate the official color schemes. These also include an exclusive miniature, so they are pretty nice.
You can find them here: https://store.corvusbelli.com/hobby/paint?sort=popularity

<What if I want to play another game in the Infinity universe?>
Then you have a few choices:
-Aristeia!: a board game representing an in-universe future sport that plays like a mix of a wrestling match and a MOBA game. CB released 32 different Aristos so far, each with its unique abilities, skills, and cards. You can find more information here: https://store.corvusbelli.com/hobby/paint?sort=popularity
-Defiance: another board game, this time a dungeon crawler representing a crew of different heroes from all over the Human Sphere tasked with a suicide mission to stop an alien invasion; think Mass Effect 2, but for weebs (and with metal miniatures). It was available on Kickstarter, where it raised more than one million euros. You can probably find a copy online. More info here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/corvusbelli/infinity-defiance/description
-Infinity the RPG: finally, an RPG system designed for the Infinity setting by Modiphius. You can find the books here: https://www.modiphius.net/collections/infinity, and the corresponding PDFs here: https://mega.nz/folder/8pRURayK#Kj16fd7nQhEcaId8hKD4oA/folder/p8gETK5R
-TAG Raid, a new kickstarter game of deathmatch battles between mining TAGs.
https://infinitytheuniverse.com/games/tag-raid

<Where can I find more Infinity content?>
CB recently posted a list of Infinity content creators on its blog. You can find it here: https://infinitytheuniverse.com/blog/content-creators
CB also recently started releasing novels set in the Infinity universe. At the time of writing (April 2022), only one is available on preorder. You can find them here:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Infinity-the-Game

<The miniatures come with tabs attached to the feet, but the bases have no slots for them. What gives?>
I think it's for the people that want to customize their bases somehow. You can cut the slots out from the bottom with a sharp hobby knife or just trim the tabs down to two pegs and drill holes into the base.

This is it, for now. I'll try to keep this list updated if other questions come to mind. If you need anything else you can ask in the general and you'll surely find someone willing to help.